| Porifera |
Sponges |
Asymmetrical, porous bodies, filter feeders |
Water canal system :Body with pores (ostia) and canals for water flow, no true tissues or organs |
| Cnidaria |
Jellyfish, Hydra, Sea anemones |
Radial symmetry, cnidocytes (stinging cells) |
Distinct medusa and polyp life stages ,Cnidoblast |
| Ctenophora |
Mnemiopsis, Pleurobrachia |
Radial symmetry, gelatinous body, ciliary comb plates |
Bioluminescence, comb plates used for locomotion, distinct gastrovascular cavity |
| Platyhelminthes |
Planaria, Tapeworm, Liver fluke |
Bilateral symmetry, flat body, parasitic species |
Flat body ,Acoelomate body plan, absorption of nutrients through body surface, parasitic adaptations |
| Aschelminthes |
Ascaris, Wuchereria |
Unsegmented, cylindrical, bilaterally symmetrical |
Parasitic, lack circulatory system,worm shaped elongated, sexual dimorphism |
| Annelida |
Earthworm, Leech |
Segmented body like rings, coelom, bilateral symmetry |
Presence of metameric segmentation, closed circulatory system, setae (bristles) |
| Arthropoda |
Grasshopper, Cockroach, Spider, Crab, Lobster |
Exoskeleton, jointed legs, segmented body |
Chitinous exoskeleton, metamorphosis (complete or incomplete), compound eyes in many species |
| Mollusca |
Snail, Octopus, Clam, Squid |
Soft body, mantle, radula, sometimes a shell |
Presence of a foot, mantle, and visceral mass, radula (for feeding), distinct head-foot and body regions |
| Echinodermata |
Starfish, Sea cucumber, Sea urchins |
Radial symmetry, spiny skin, marine habitat |
Water vascular system, tube feet, pentaradial symmetry in adults, regeneration ability |
| Hemichordata |
Balanoid, Acorn worms |
Marine, bilateral symmetry, has pharyngeal slits |
Worm like with proboscis, Colour and trunk,respiratory system with gills, excretory structures |
| Chordata |
Fish, Frog, Lizard, Human, Whale |
Notochord, dorsal nerve cord, post-anal tail |
Presence of pharyngeal gill slits, notochord in embryo, bilateral symmetry, endoskeleton |